British Columbia has 11 statutory holidays under the Employment Standards Act, the most of any province. Employees need 30 days of service to qualify for holiday pay.
British Columbia statutory holidays 2026
Holidays in bold are added on top of the five observed across Canada.
Rules for employers
Who qualifies for holiday pay
• The employee has been employed for at least 30 calendar days before the holiday.
• They worked or earned wages on at least 15 of the 30 days before the holiday. Vacation, other statutory holidays and paid sick days count.
If an employee works on a holiday
An eligible employee who works a statutory holiday gets 1.5× their regular wage for the first 12 hours and 2× after that, plus an average day's pay. A shift that starts on the holiday is paid at holiday rates
for the whole shift. Employees who don't qualify get regular wages.
If a holiday falls on a day off or during vacation
If a statutory holiday falls on an eligible employee's day off or during vacation, pay an average day's pay. No extra day off is required. You and the employee, or a majority of employees, can agree to
move a holiday to another day. In 2026, all 11 statutory holidays fall on weekdays.
Exemptions
Statutory holiday rules don't apply to managers, farm workers, fishers, high-tech professionals and some commissioned salespeople. Collective agreements that meet or exceed the Act replace it.
How to calculate holiday pay in British Columbia
Average day's pay = total pay in the 30 calendar days before the holiday ÷ days worked in that period. Pay includes vacation pay, statutory holiday pay and paid sick leave. Overtime is excluded.
Example: an employee earns $25 an hour, works 8 hours a day, and earned $4,400 over 22 days in the 30 days before the holiday.
Hiring or running payroll in British Columbia?
Borderless AI applies British Columbia's holiday rules and pay calculations automatically. Hire in British Columbia with our Employer of Record or run Canada payroll with Borderless AI. For other provinces, see Canadian statutory holidays by province.
Frequently asked questions
Is Boxing Day a stat holiday in B.C.?
No. Boxing Day isn't a statutory holiday in British Columbia, though many employers give it.
Is September 30 a stat holiday in B.C.?
Yes. National Day for Truth and Reconciliation has been a statutory holiday in British Columbia since 2023.
Do new employees get stat holiday pay in B.C.?
Not until they've been employed for 30 calendar days and worked or earned wages on 15 of the 30 days before the holiday.
